Navy cuts would slam Hampton Roads

NORFOLK — — The Navy is bracing for deep spending cuts in Hampton Roads if Congress can't solve its budget woes, including delayed construction of an aircraft carrier in Newport News and deferred major maintenance on 10 warships based in Norfolk.

Other impacts locally and in Virginia include layoffs of temporary workers, reduced ship operations and flying hours and deferred construction projects in Virginia Beach and Norfolk.

The potential fallout was described in a handout given to reporters shortly after Chief of Naval Operations Adm. Jonathan Greenert addressed Navy sailors in an all-hands call at Naval Station Norfolk on Friday. Greenert and Master Chief Petty Officer of the Navy Michael D. Stevens talked in part about the budget cuts and took questions from sailors.

The Navy and the military as a whole face two unwanted scenarios. One is sequestration, the prospect of deep, across-the-board spending cuts, which were set to take effect at the start of the year but were delayed until March.

The second scenario is equally serious. If Congress does not pass a year-long appropriations bill, the Navy will continue to be funded under a continuing resolution at fiscal year 2012 levels, which are lower and would leave them running short in its operation and maintenance account.

The Navy assumed it would get a new budget bill with more money -- and it was spending accordingly, Greenert told the sailors.

"We've been eating steak and maybe we should have been eating cassarole," Greenert said.

If the Navy must continue living under the 2012 continuing resolution – and if it doesn't get congressional authority to move money from different accounts to compensate – here are the impacts locally:

Cancel major maintenance during the third and fourth quarter for 10 Norfolk-based ships, including the aircraft carrier USS Dwight D. Eisenhower and the amphibious assault ship USS Wasp. Delaying maintenance overhauls could impact the ability of those ships to deploy on schedule, a Navy official said.

Cancel two demolition projects in Norfolk and delay construction projects at Naval Air Station Oceana and Norfolk Naval Shipyard.

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